A convicted sex offender who stabbed his cousin to
A convicted sex offender who stabbed his cousin to death for calling him a ‘nonce’ was jailed for three and a half years today.
(Weds)
Lawrence Page, 28, knifed relative Billy Russell in the chest after suffering verbal and physical intimidation, an Old Bailey jury heard.
Page armed himself with two knives moments after the victim burst into his east London home and threatened him with a blade.
Minutes later he ran after his 34-year-old cousin and plunged the knife into his chest, piercing his lung and heart.
Page, of Preston Road, Chingford, was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter after he insisted he had no intention to harm his cousin.
The killer told the court: ‘I wanted to know why he could not leave me alone.
But also I wanted him to see I was going to defend myself.
I hoped he would just have gone and left me alone.
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The judge, the Common Serjeant of London, Peter Beaumont told him: ‘I have to impose punishment – punishment to reflect the fact that society cannot accept, however gravely you were put upon, the taking of life where you acted as judge, jury and executioner.
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The jury heard relations between the two men deteriorated after Page was convicted two years ago of ‘an offence involving indecent assaults on two young boys.
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Pressure mounted because the two men worked for the Page’s father in his furniture business.
Mr Russell later confronted Page over allegations he had tried to molest the victim’s younger brother.
On the night of the incident, February 4 this year Page answered the door to Mr Russell to find him with his brother Terry.
He claimed Mr Russell produced a knife and told him: ‘We have come round to give you this you noncy bastard.
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Page said he was ‘scared of being killed’ and fled the house wearing just a pair of boxer shorts.
After a few minutes he decided to go home feeling ‘terrified, confused and very shocked.
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He admitted to the jury: ‘I got to the kitchen and took some knives for my defence in case they came back.
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Page denied deliberately knifing his cousin and claimed he did not know Billy was stabbed until he fled to a nearby fast food shop.
He said he thought the stabbing happened when he lifted his arms to protect himself from Billy’s lunge.
The court heard the victim had died from a single wound which had pierced the lower lobe of his left lung and sliced the surface of the left ventricle of his heart.
His barrister, Bruce Houlder QC said: ‘A crime was committed against him.
‘A man came to his house armed with his knife and threatened to use it against him.
‘This is a young man who has been a hard working young man throughout his adult life.
‘He has completed punishment for those offences he has commited in the past.
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The judge accepted Page was threatened by the victim but said: ‘You took the life of a cousin in violent circumstances.
‘You are going to have to live with the consequences of that act for the rest of your life.
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‘You are hard-working, more than that you have paid your dues to society for the offences of indecent assault you committed all those years ago.
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Page looked pale but relieved as he was led to the cells.
ends
